Darned universe
by Iceflight398
Summary: [Soulmate watch AU] Apparently the universe is a big, mean donkey, because Li Xiang's soulmate watch stopped. At five minutes. Just stopped. And yes, it is waterproof.


"I'm going to puke," Li Xiang announced, giving Mei a disgusted look.

` "Be nice to your little sister!" Yao scolded.

Mei pouted. "Yeah, meanie!"

"Stop obsessing over that soulmate junk," Li Xiang snapped, wrinkling his nose. "I swear, your internal clock has been replaced by your _soulmate_ one."

"But there's only one month left-"

"Whatever."

"Li Xiang," Kiku scolded, "You know how much Mei values this stuff."

Cheng nodded. "Yes, let her smile." Then he attempted some conversation. "How much time is left on yours, Li Xiang?"

Li Xiang frowned. "I, like, haven't checked in awhile." He lifted his hand up and brushed the sleeve of his crimson jacket away. "Let's see… it says five minutes…"

Mei gasped.

Li Xiang knit his brow. "But… it's not moving."

Cue another gasp from Mei.

"What?" Yao demanded, "No way! Let me see!"

Unable to register it, Li Xiang obediently stuck his hand out. How could his soulmate clock have stopped? No way…

Everyone's voices washed over him, like the indistinct radio in those war movies. Yao's hand was warm as it held his wrist as Yao's other hand examined the watch, the darned watch...

"It's broken!" Yong Soo wailed.

"These things are supposed to be unbreakable," Hyung Soo snapped, "It makes no sense! The universe is… is…"

"A donkey!" Mei announced, her cheeks flushed. "How could Li Xiang's soulmate watch be broken? How will he find true love?"

"Video games?" Li Xiang suggested, his mind still unable to register the fact that something unbreakable was…

Broken.

Stopped.

Frozen.

"No way…" Li Xiang muttered, his heart pounding. "No way!"

Jerking his hand away from his elder brother's, he rushed out of the house and into the cool autumn afternoon. His heart pounded in beat with his feet, eager to get away from this…

"Li Xiang! Come back!"

"Don't leave! We can fix it!"

"Please, _di-di_ , I _will_ help you! Just come back!"

He ignored them. They would just pour sympathy all over him, he could almost hear it… he was their _poor_ little brother, such a _sweet_ boy, why would this happen…

All the old ladies with their shopping bags would know, all of the old men that gathered around to play shogi and Chinese checkers would know, all of them!

Li Xiang didn't want to deal with that.

So he ran. He ran past the neighborhood and past _zhong guo dian_ , past the school, past the park, and-

"Oof!"

He collided with another body. The momentum from his desperate run caused him to push the other person over, with Li Xiang falling on top. The familiar weight on his wrist disappeared, the watch probably flying off.

Gasping, he stared at the person he'd run into. It was a boy his age, with violet eyes and pale, almost white hair.

"You're cute," Li Xiang blurted out.

The person stared at him. And stared. And stared. And then turned bright red.

"Y-you're cute too," The person stammered.

Li Xiang grinned, leaning forward. "You look so cute when you're blushing-"

"Marry me!" The person yelped.

Li Xiang was taken aback. "Now, I know I'm cute, but shouldn't I at least treat you to dinner first?"

If it was even possible, the person turned even redder. "No! Th-that's not what I meant! I meant… like… uh… I'm Emil… umm…"

"Emil." Li Xiang savored the name, enjoying how it felt saying it. "Emil. Cute name. My English name is Leon."

"I… uh…" Emil's eyes flickered back and forth, like trapped butterflies. Trapped, violet butterflies. Then his gaze landed on something else. "Y-your watch," He stammered, "I think it's fallen off."

Li Xiang followed his gaze to where the watch lay, feeling a stabbing sensation in his heart. "O-oh. It's, uh… broken." Li Xiang gulped, not wanting to look at Emil. Reaching over, he grabbed the watch and held it out to Emil. "See?"

Emil frowned. Then his expression transformed into one of pure delight. "No! It's at zero!"

Li Xiang stared at him. "Are you serious?" He looked at the watch himself. Indeed, it was at zero. "B-but it stopped at five minutes!"Just as he was about to celebrate, a terrible thought occurred to him. "I was running… it could have been anyone…"

Emil shook his head rapidly. "No! Because… my watch was about to reach zero when you crashed into me!" He was smiling now, a pure, happy smile. "You see? W-we're… soulmates, Leon!"

Li Xiang stared at him, his mouth hanging open. How on Earth…?

Emil frowned, his brow creasing. "Y-you're not happy? I…" Emil bit his lip. "Oh, God… I didn't mean… I mean… uh…"

Li Xiang quickly reached forwards and wrapped Emil into a tight hug. "No! I was just shocked. And ticked off at my sucksy watch. I-I'm so happy that we're together!"

"Really? You mean it?"

"Yes!" Li Xiang gently kissed Emil on the forehead, and then on the lips. "We're soulmates, Emil."

Emil let out a delighted laugh. "I-I guess we are, huh?"

Li Xiang nodded, smiling. "I can't wait to show you off to my family. Kiku's soulmate is this burger-eating guy, and Yao and Yong Soo have creepy stalker people for soulmates."

Emil laughed softly. "Well… Lukas's soulmate is this axe-wielding Dane that resembles a golden retriever, so…"

Li Xiang chuckled. "Looks like things are gonna be chaotic."

Emil nodded. "But… we have each other now, so it'll be alright."

"Yes. Yes, it will be."


End file.
